Side bar lock decoder



Feb. 7, 1956 w. o. PENNINGTON 2,733,514

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United` States Patent() SIDE BAR LOCK DECODER William O. VvPennington, Paris, K3. Apparaten september s, 195s, serial No. avanzi 4 claims. V(ci. ssn-174) This invention relates in general to improvements in lock decoders, and more specifically to a side bar lock Y bar and engages a housing for the lock to prevent ro ta tion thereof` exceptwhen a key is properly positioned Within the lock;` When a key is positioned within the lock the side bar is automatically withdrawn into the contines of the barrel lock with the result that the lock may be turned as desired.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide an t improved lock decoder which is specilically designed for use in` decoding side bar locks whereby new keys may be made for a side bar lock with a minimum of trouble on, the part of the locksmith.

Another object of this invention is to provide a side bar lock ydecoder in which may be suitably set a side bar lock and which may be utilized to indicate the desired cuts to be made in a key so as to operate the side bar lock.

A further objectV of this invention is to provide an improved side bar lock decoder which is extremely simple in construction and which may be utilized together with simple tools commonly found in locksmith shops to decode side bar locks.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the side bar lock decoder which is the subject of this invention and shows the same with a lock positioned therein for decoding;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken longitudinally through the side bar lock decoder of Figure l and shows the means for controlling the position of a decoding arm, the lock being omitted;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 3-3 of Figure 1 and shows the general construction of the lock decoder, an alternate position of the lock decoder being shown in dotted lines; and Y Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the lock decoder with a portion of both the lock carried thereby and the lock decoder being broken away and shown in section in order to clearly illustrate the relationship of the decoding arm and a tumbler of the lock.

Referring nowk to the Adrawings in detail, it will be 2,733,514 Patented Feb. 7, 1956 ice seen that the side bar lock decoder', which is the subiect of this invention', includes a housing which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 10. The housing 10 is tubular and includes a front wall 12 and a Yrear wall 14, the front and rear walls being in spaced parallel relation. As is best illustrated in Figure 3, the front wall 14 isprovided with rearward extending upper and lower flanges 16 and 18 which are in spaced parallel relation and which are disposed outwardly of forwardly exe tending anges 20 and 22 on the rear wall 14. The flanges 16 and 20, and 18` and 22 may be removably secured n any desired manner.` Y

Carried by the front wall' 12 adjacent the left' side thereof, as viewed in Figure 1, and extending rearwardly therefrom is an elongated circular cross sectional sleeve v24. As is best illustrated in Figure 3, portions ofi the sleeve 24 extend both forwardly of the front wall I2 and'rearwardl'y of the reary wall 14.

Mounted within the sleeve 24 for both rotational and sliding movement is an elongated cylinder 26. The'cyla inder 26 is provided with an annular shoulder 28 at itsrear end which limits forward motion thereof. The annular shoulder 28 is formed by the connection of a rear Wall 30 with the body portion of the cylinder`2`6.

Rearward motion' of the cylinder 2,6 within the sleeve 24 is also limited by anl integral annular flange 32 adieul cent the forward end thereof. The relationship of the annular flange 32 with respect to the sleeve 24 is such that when a lock, such as the side bar lock 34, is prop erly positioned therein the iirs't tumbler thereof will be in proper position in a manner to be disclosed in more detail hereinafter.

Extending transversely of the housing 10 between the front wall 12 and the rear wall 14 is a pivot pin 36 which is mounted for rotation. The pivot pin 36 has rigidly vseeuredto the forward end thereof forward ofI the front wall 12 an indicator arm which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 38. The indicator arm 38 is provided with a hook shaped portion at the left end thereof, as viewed in Figure l, which terminates in a rst pin 40. The first pin 40 is aligned with an elongated slot 42 in the cylinder 26. The slot 42 is of such a nature whereby tumblers of the lock 34 may be aligned therewith for engagement by the rst pin 40 of the indicator arm 38.

The other end of the indicator arm 38 is elongated and tapered and terminates in a pointed second end 46. The second end 46 is disposed closely adjacent the decoding indicia 48 on the front wall 12. It will be seen that movement of the rst end 40 will result in opposite movement of the second end 46 to indicate the depth of cut of a key for a certain tumbler.

In order that the indicator arm 38 may be conveniently moved to an inoperative position to permit positioning of the side bar lock 30, there is secured to the shaft 36 within thehousing 10 an arm 50. The armt50 is provided intermediate its ends with a pin 52 which extends downwardly and which is aligned with a pin 54 extending upwardly from the ange 18. Extending between the pins 52 and 54 is a spring 56 which urges the arm 50 outwardly so as to move the rst endl-l0 into a tumbler engaging position.

Carried by the arm 50 and extending upwardly Vtherefrom through the flanges 16 and 20 s a shaft 58. The shaft 58 is provided with a finger engageable enlarged end 60 which may be utilized in depressing the shaft 58, When the shaft 58 is depressed, the rst end 40 is moved to an inoperative position relative to the cylinder 26.

The extreme free end of the arm 50 is provided with an elongated stop member 62. It'will be noted that the stop member 62 extends both outwardly and downwardly from the arm 50 and is structurally engageable with either the flange 20 or the flange 22 to limit pivoting of both the arm S0 and the indicator arm 38.

In the operation of the side bar lock decoder, a side bar lock 34 to be decoded is first raked with a locksmiths pick so as to urge the tumblers `outwardly to their proper positions. This is done while pressing inwardly on the side bar of the lock and when the tumblers reach the desired positions, the side bar will move inwardly to hold the tumblers in their proper positions. The side bar lock 34 is in place within the cylinder 26 with the tumblers thereof aligned with the slot 42 hy rotating the lock 34 when the shaft 56 is depressed. The side bar lock 34 is then decoded by permitting the tirst end 40 of the indicator arm 38 to engage each of the tumblers, such as the tumbler 64 best illustrated in Figure 4. When the tirst end 40 is engaged with a tumbler, Vthe second end 46 will move upwardly relative to the indicia 48 to indicate the correct depth of cut to be made in a key to properly position the tumbler 64 when it is desired to unlock the side bar lock 34. From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanationis believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A decoder for side bar locks comprising a housing, a lock receiving cylinder carried by said housing for movement transversely thereof, a single indicator arm pivotally carried by said housing pivoting about an axis parallel to the axis of said cylinder, one end of said arm being aligned with said cylinder, indicia on said housing aligned with the other end of said arm.

2. A decoder for side bar locks comprising a housing, a lock receiving cylinder carried by said housing for movement transversely thereof, a single indicator arm pivotally carried by said housing for pivoting about an axis parallel to the axis of said cylinder, one end of said arm being aligned with said cylinder, indicia on said housing aligned with the other end of said arm, said cylinder being provided with a longitudinally elongated transverse slot for receiving said one end of said arm, said slot being adapted to have lock tumblers aligned therewith.

3. A decoder for side bar locks comprising a housing, a cylinder for receiving locks of the tumbler type carried by said housing, a single indicator arm pivotally carried by said housing, one end of said arm being aligned with said cylinder, a longitudinally elongated transverse slot in said cylinder for receiving said one end, indicia on said housing aligned with the other end of said arm, said cylinder being slidably transversely of said arm whereby said one end may be selectively engaged with individual tumblers of a lock.

4. A decoder for side bar locks comprising a housing, a cylinder for receiving locks of the tumbler type carried by said housing, a single indicator arm pivotally carried by said housing, one end of said arm being aligned with said cylinder, a longitudinally elongated transverse slot in said cylinder for receiving said one end, indicia on said housing aligned with the other end of said arm, said cylinder being slidably transversely of said arm whereby said one end may be selectively engaged with individual tumblers of a lock, said one end being spring urged to a tumbler engaging position.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

